Out of Bounds
by Laina2
Summary: Alternate ending for Enemy Walks In, and it goes on from there....
1. Standing on the Edge of Time

"We're going to Barcelona."  
  
* * *  
  
"Anything?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Not yet," Vaughn replied from his position. After a short pause, he said, "So hey, there are some great restaurants in Barcelona."  
  
Sydney grinned at the comment. The familiarity and warmth of the conversation momentarily allowing her some relief from the stress caused by the last few days, she answered, "Yeah, I know."  
  
"You know what I was thinking?" he continued.  
  
"I think I do," Sydney said, smiling as she peered through her binoculars. To think, she had almost lost the chance to have this conversation with him... She abruptly turned her thoughts back to what Vaughn was saying, not yet ready to deal with the emotions that had been controlling her.  
  
"... We'd get the Bible and get a bite," he finished.  
  
Weiss' voice cut into their conversation, quickly reminding them that this was NOT the Vatican, and there were in fact other people hearing their conversation. A conversation that didn't exactly follow agent/handler protocol. "Yeah, can the whole team come? 'Cause I'm starving."  
  
Sydney blushed slightly, realizing what had just been said in front of several CIA agents - including her father.  
  
As a black sedan arrived, Jack cut in, his voice contradicting what the small uplifting of his lips implied, "Sydney and Vaughn! Would you concentrate on the task at hand and not on breaking as many rules as possible?"  
  
Weiss smirked slightly at that - apparently his part in the conversation didn't warrant a lecture from Jack Bristow. Thank god.  
  
"And Agent Weiss? I'll ask you not to encourage them," Jack added in a cold voice as an afterthought. Weiss winced.  
  
From his vantage point, Vaughn saw another car drive into the area, thus ending his confusion over when he had become "Vaughn", without the "Agent" attached to the front.  
  
"Everyone hold position. Get ready to move," another agent ordered. Sydney watched as the courier stepped out of the car holding a briefcase. Even without the other agen'ts next statement, she knew that the briefcase he carried had to contain the Bible.  
  
"We move in on three. One... two..."  
  
Even as he was counting, Sydney began moving, knowing that elsewhere, her father, Vaughn, and the rest of the team were doing the same. Just as they began closing in on Khasinau, who had since stepped out of the other vehicle and was now holding the suitcase, shots sounded, coming alarmingly close. Making a quick decision, Sydney turned and went after Khasinau, who had fled as soon as the gunfire started.  
  
The rest of the CIA team scattered and took cover. Vaughn looked at Weiss from where he was crouched. "Weiss, I'm going after the shooter! Cover me!"  
  
Behind a car, Weiss stared dumbly at his hand, which was covered in blood where he had placed it against the small gash on his neck.  
  
"Weiss!" Vaughn called again, before scrambling over to where his friend sat in shock. Vaughn's presence brought him out of it, and he immediately nodded his head.  
  
"Go. I've got your back."  
  
Vaughn looked at him in concern before running in the direction of the shots, pausing to duck behind various objects offering cover. Jack watched as the younger agent ran past, the amount of respect he had for Vaughn growing more. Not many people would be willing to put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation, especially after just getting out of another. The rest of the team for instance. In annoyance, Jack yelled, "Bravo team, you take the dry dock to the East! Charlie team, take it to the West!"  
  
In retrospect, Jack thought, two of those people are god knows where by now, and I'M here working with THIS.  
  
Vaughn reached where the shooter had been and swore. Deciding that despite his newfound appreciation of them, screwdrivers were definitely now on his hate list, Vaughn began to head back the way he had come. If I was the shooter, where would I be going? he thought. A sinking feeling filled his stomach. Shouting into the comm link, he demanded, "Where's Sydney?"  
  
She could take care of herself. He knew that. But it didn't make him feel any better about the situation.  
  
* * *  
  
"Freeze!" Sydney said, pointing her gun at Khasinau. The man stopped. "Drop the suitcase."  
  
Khasinau obeyed.  
  
"Hands on your head. Get down."  
  
Khasinau laughed and got down. then, without warning, he swept Sydney's legs out from underneath her, sending her gun flying. As Khasinau attempted to choke her, Sydney kicked his leg and spun him to the ground. Both got up, and Khasinau immediately tried to punch her, but she managed to move in time.  
  
Sydney roundhouse kicked him before retrieving her gun, dimly aware of a slight throbbing hin her arm. She pointed the gun at him, but froze as a voice she wished never to hear again came from behind her.  
  
"Drop it."  
  
She turned and faced her mother, who had a gun trained on Sydney. As the shot went off, her mind flashed backwards and once again she was in that chair, the pain in her arm intensifying. Realizing it wasn't her that had been shot, Sydney turned only to watch Khasinau as he fell to the ground, face frozen in shock.  
  
She numbly obeyed Irina as she was ordered to get on her knees and put her head to the ground. As Irina left, her parting words echoed over and over in Sydney's mind, haunting her. The next thing she was aware of was Vaughn, gently pulling her up off the floor, and into his embrace. 


	2. Playing Out A Reckless Pantomime

Sydney shook with silent tears as Vaughn held her tightly against him. She held him just as hard, afraid that if she let go, she would lose him. The one true thing, the person she could always count on to be there for her. Like now, when she just needed him to be there, not forcing her to talk with him... just holding her.  
  
Suddenly, she felt all of the emotions she had been unable to let out welling up within her. The worry, the fear... guilt that came from the knowledge that the pain her loved ones were being going through had been caused by her. Stifling a sob, she supressed those feelings once more. She couldn't deal with them... not here... not just yet.  
  
A soft clearing of the throat alerted her to her father's presence. Sydney took a shuddering breath and turned to face him from Vaughn's arms, which he moved to tuck her close to his side. It was as if he knew that she needed the connection to last a little longer.  
  
Jack cleared his throat again uncomfortably. While he was somewhat against the closeness of their relationship, it was apparent to him that his daughter would most likely be a lot worse off if she didn't have it. Not that he'd ever tell either of them that. It was hard enough letting himself accept it. And, he thought to himself, there are worse people for her to share that relationship with than Michael Vaughn. The memory of Weiss sitting outside playing with that d*mn yo-yo as his neck was bandaged up came to mind.  
  
Still feeling as if he were intruding, Jack said, "I came to inform you8 that we're ready to move on with the nexst stage of our operation. Mr. Winters, a retired CIA agent, is awaiting our arrival..."  
  
Vaughn nodded, and recluctantly released his hold on Sydney. He hated to do it - it tore him up to see her so upset. However, her safety was his main concern right then, and if that meant postponing the comforting, so be it. Besides, Sydney really needed to talk with her father.  
  
"Then I guess we'd better get going," he said, starting towards the door. Sydney watched him leave, with a confused expression for a moment, then realized what he was doing. She turned her attention back to her father and took a deep breath before starting her narrative on the events which had occurred earlier in the building.  
  
Outside, Vaughn quickly spotted Weiss, sitting in a car, white bandage on his neck, playing with his yo-yo.  
  
Seeing him, Weiss yelled, "Hey Mike! Look!! Around the world!"  
  
* * *  
  
Vaughn, Jack, Sydney and two other agents were the only ones left from the team at Winters' house. The others had received their aliases and gone to the airport, where they would all be boarding a flight back to the United States in three hours. Agents Johnson and Williams were both around Jack's age, but looked more like they should be sitting behind a desk than participating in a mission.  
  
A sudden exclamation from Sydney roused the men from whatever stupor boredom had caused them to fall into.  
  
"No. ABSOLUTELY NOT!"  
  
Muffled voices could be heard from the room Sydney and Winters' were currently occupying. From what Vaughn could tell, he guessed Winters was on the recieving end of one of Sydney's rants. Exchanging a look with Jack, he was just about to get up and see what was going on when a ticked off Sydney entered the room, in her new disguise.  
  
Her hair was dyed a slightly lighter shade of brown, and was hanging loosely in soft waves around her shoulders. She wore no make up, save for a sheer shade of lip gloss. The tan pants and sweater - duster she wore were not out of the ordinary, very tame when compared to what SD-6 had her wear. Where she had a problem was the large bulge underneath her black shirt, where Winters had forced her to wear whate he called "The Belly", made to simulate pregnancy.  
  
Sydney turned her glare on Vaughn and shouted accusingly, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!!"  
  
Jack looked as if the sip of water he had just taken was in danger of being spit out, in reaction to the direction the conversation had just taken. Agent Williams looked over at Johnson and said, "You know, it's not every day you get to see and agent and their handler have this conversation." 


	3. Cause I'm Lost Inside a Dream

Jack glanced quickly at Williams before concentrating on swallowing his water before either Sydney or Vaughn said anything else. He was glad for his foresight when he heard the next words out of Vaughn's mouth.  
  
"Syd, I think I can safely say that I had nothing to do with this," he stated sarcastically, gesturing towards her "stomach", and obviously forgetting the implications his words carried.  
  
"If you hadn't come -," she started, pointing an accusing finger at him. You'd probably be having an emotional meltdown, a little voice in her head reminded her. Pushing the thought firmly aside, she continued, "If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have to go through with this, because THEN there would be no one to play my husband!"  
  
Vaughn paused, looked at her critically for a moment, before saying slowly, "Explain to me again how you got to be one of the top field agents at SD- 6?"  
  
"Enough, both of you!" Jack interrupted, feeling a headache coming on. One had to wonder how those two ever got anything done. Both looked startled, as if realizing for the first time that they weren't the only ones in the room. "Now, while that fine display of maturity was fascinating to behold, we are here for a reason. That reason being the development of new covers so that we will be able to return to the United States without attracting any unwanted attention. Sydney, that means accepting your new alias for what it is. Vaughn, go with Mr. Winters."  
  
As Sydney nodded, still embarrassed that her father and two other CIA agents had been witness to that conversation, she maneuvered herself into a chair beside her father, and Vaughn left the room. She couldn't help feeling as if they'd just been sent for a time out. Looking over at her father, she thought she might see a hint of amusement in his eyes.  
  
Despite the fact that she wasn't 100% sure of that detail, she knew without looking that the two other agents' faces were set in smirks. In a dangerously low voice, she said, "Anyone says a word, and I will use that person to show Agent Vaughn exactly why I am a top field agent at SD-6."  
  
The room remained silent. Jack couldn't help but notice that his daughter's threat didn't include Vaughn. He also observed, somewhat irrelevantly, that Sydney's use of the title Agent was mostly to regain some semblance of professionalism between them, or at least give the impression that their relationship contained that factor. Vaughn was also in the habit of doing that, and Jack had to wonder if they hadn't actually decided upon that approach, they were so vigilant about reciting it every so often, when the occasion seemed to call for it.  
  
However, now he had to deal with more important thoughts. Such as deciding which bothering him more - the disturbing knowledge that he had just sounded like that d@mned CIA shrink, or the fact that he was going to have to deal with Sydney like this for quite awhile longer.  
  
* * *  
  
It was definitely the latter, Jack had decided, four hours later. The flight was already long, and the person he normally like to refer to as his daughter was not making the trip go by any faster. Sydney, or Hallie Jenkins as her new alias stated, had not stopped complaining since they'd boarded the plan.. Or had it been since they'd arrived at the airport an hour prior?  
  
When a small break came as she left to "use the bathroom" - though Jack had a sneaking suspicion it had more to do with relieving herself to the extra weight and discomfort her disguise created - he leaned quickly across her seat towards her husband, Jacob Jenkins, and said, "Would you please calm her down?"  
  
Vaughn turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. He had seen Sydney in this mood only a few times before, and he knew that calming her down was probably not an option. "How do you propose I go about that?"  
  
"I don't know, just do it. She is being completely unreasonable!! It would be in the best interests of all of us if -,"  
  
"Look, Paul," Vaughn interrupted, using Jack's new name. He, Sydney, Vaughn, and Weiss were all "traveling together". Jack had the role of Hallie's rich father, and Weiss was the doctor that had been hired to look after Hallie in her "condition" on the trip. "With all do respect - your daughter has a perfect right to be complaining. I can't just -,"  
  
Jack cut him off, and, noticing Sydney walking unhappily back to her seat between them, whispered urgently, "Just do SOMETHING!"  
  
Vaughn tried to hide how hilarious he found the panic he saw in Jack Bristow's eyes. If it had been someone else, he probably would have laughed. But he wasn't talking to someone else, and laughing was probably not a good idea.  
  
"Okay," Sydney said, sitting down awkwardly. "My shoulder hurts, and my back is killing me. And you know what? I think my feet are swelling."  
  
"Hal," Vaughn said softly. "Maybe you should try to get some sleep."  
  
Sydney looked at him for a long moment, trying to decide what to say to that. It had been a long time since she had slept without the dreams coming. Nightmares, really, in which she was forced to relive over and over the moment she had found Will had been taken, or when she had watched that door slide shut, the sound of rushing water once again filling her ears. She didn't like to admit how much that had affected her, and as of yet, she hadn't had to. Not to anyone, not even herself. Eventually, though, the aches and tiredness in her body won over her reluctance to sleep, and she shifted in her seat closer to the warm body next to her.  
  
Instinctively, Vaughn put his arm around her, drawing her closer so that Sydney's head rested on his shoulder. He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he felt, more than heard, her sigh and close her eyes.  
  
* * *  
  
Some time later, though Sydney couldn't be sure how long, she was awakened by Vaughn, who was carefully trying to remove his arm from around her. Still half asleep, she made a small noise in protest. Vaughn's quite chuckling brought her completely out of her dream-like state. She sat up quickly and blinked rapidly in an attempt to refocus her eyes.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked in confusion. Jack, who had thus far kept studiously silent, interrupted whatever reply Vaughn might have had for her.  
  
"We're landing," he said shortly. While he was glad Vaughn had been able to stop her complaints, seeing Sydney cuddling with her handler was definitely not on his list of things he wanted to witness again soon. At the perplexed expression on Sydney's face, he added by way of explanation, "A storm warning over the Atlantic has been issued. All transatlantic flights have been grounded. We'll be touching down in London in about ten minutes."  
  
"How long will we have to stay here?"  
  
"Anywhere from three days to a week. The airlines don't want to take any chances," Vaughn answered.  
  
"So where are we staying?" she asked, then another thought struck her. Feeling a little silly that she hadn't thought to ask before, Sydney added, "And what do we tell Sloane?"  
  
"It's already taken care of. As of today, you and I are on a vacation. We need time to deal with the events of the last week," Jack told her, face not betraying any underlying emotions that might be lurking underneath the surface. It was impossible to tell if there might be any grain of truth to that statement. Sydney nodded, more to herself than anyone else, and waited for a response as to their accommodations. When one was not offered, she turned to look at Vaughn.  
  
Knowing what she wanted, he said, "We'll be staying at the Four Seasons (I don't know if there is one in London or not, but it's the only think I could think of!!) in Penthouse 1. We'll have to share our rooms with a couple of young business men who are also on this flight, but overall Hallie, it shouldn't be too bad."  
  
Following the direction Vaughn had discreetly nodded in, Sydney saw two members of their team. Glad that their roommates were CIA, and that she wouldn't have to keep up her uncomfortable disguise, Sydney settled back into her seat and waited for the plane to land. 


	4. It's the Emptiness I Fear

Vaughn sighed as he looked out the window of the rental car he, Sydney, Jack and Weiss had all shared and into the rainy London evening. That sigh was followed by another when he saw how far they had to park from the hotel. This was why he hated London. He hated getting rained on. It was depressing, as far has he was concerned.  
  
Weiss, knowing his friend's opinion on precipitation, was only mildly surprised when the second the car started to brake, Vaughn jumped out and took off across the parking lot toward the hotel. Sydney, grasping her father's hand to help her lift out of the car, stared after him, a mixture of shock and annoyance on her face.  
  
Rolling her eyes, she commented, "This from the person who stood and stared as a wall of water came at him."  
  
In a few moments, they had joined Vaughn, who was waiting at the front of the hotel. He held the large glass door open for the group, and then followed them in. He was relieved when none of them brought up his sprint across the parking lot, though he was sure he knew what Sydney was thinking. Even HE was thinking it. Jack's voice broke into his musings, and Vaughn quickened his pace to catch up with the group once more.  
  
"Reservation for Paul Hettigrew," Jack said, leaning casually on the counter. The concierge typed away at his computer for a moment, and then looked up.  
  
"Ah, yes, Mr. Hettigrew. Penthouse 1, the hotel's finest. I'm sure you've been made aware of the arrangements."  
  
Jack nodded, and the man continued, "Right then. Mr. Randle and Mr.Peters have already arrived from the airport. It's a bloody bother that storm warning. All the hotels from here to the next country are booked. But, I don't suppose that would be anything of your interest, now would it? Here is your card key, and William her will take any luggage you have up to your rooms."  
  
The concierge waved over the bellhop, William. Weiss gratefully handed over the four bags he had been carrying. It seemed he was the only one who had remembered the luggage. "Yeah, thanks for the help guys," he grumbled, as they followed the bellhop towards the elevators.  
  
Sydney smirked and held up her hands as they boarded the lift. "Hey," she said, moving one hand over her fake belly. "Pregnant women aren't supposed to lift heavy objects!"  
  
"Weiss turned to Vaughn. "And you? Your excuse? 'Cause I know you have to have one."  
  
Vaughn grinned. "You know how I feel about rain. There wasn't time to get the bags, and they would have slowed me down."  
  
Sydney opened her mouth, looked as if she was bout to say something, then shut it again abruptly. As the elevator dinged, Jack said, "Dr. Golden, I paid for you to come on this trip, not to be rude to my daughter and." here he paused, a pained expression flickering across his face, as though it was the hardest thing he had ever had to say, ". son-in-law."  
  
The walk down the hall was a short one. Thank god, Sydney thought. The Belly just kept getting heavier and heavier. William stopped in front of a large oak door, reading "1" and swiped a card through the electronic lock. After opening door, pushing the trolley carrying their luggage part way into the room, and graciously accepting a tip from Jack, he left with a short "enjoy your stay".  
  
The penthouse itself was huge. A large main room contained two overstuffed sofas, which would pull out into beds, a big screen TV in the center of the room, a desk off to the side, and several small tables, scattered strategically around the area. Also in that room, on a raised floor, was the kitchen and dining area. Large windows made up the outside walls.  
  
Off the main room were three doors. Sydney assumed two would lead to the bedroom, and the other to a bathroom. This theory was proven correct when the two men who had been sitting on one couch informed them that they would share a pullout bed, and the other three could be split up however they wanted.  
  
Jack smiled tightly, and introduced the other agents. Agent Palmer shook every person's hand in turn, and Agent Duncan followed suit.  
  
"Now," Jack said, once the pleasantries were finished and everyone was seated. Duncan and Palmer had resumed their spots on the couch closest to the kitchen, and Sydney was sprawled on the other, leaving just enough room for Weiss to sit. "I've decided that we will remain here for a week, regardless whether the airlines begin flying before then. Sloane may wonder if we return the same day transatlantic flights start up again - especially since to his knowledge we're in Florida. This should help prevent any suspicions from rising."  
  
From his position on the floor, Vaughn asked, "What exactly will we be doing until then?"  
  
Jack gave him a blank look, then said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Training."  
  
Vaughn raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.  
  
Jack continued, "As for sleeping arrangements, Sydney will take one of the bedrooms. I will take the other."  
  
"Mr. Bristow," Weiss started. Jack turned a cold stare on him. Beginning to feel smaller and smaller, he tugged at the bandage on his neck and said, "Uh. the couches are slightly. uncomfortable. and I was hoping that. people could take turns with the beds. or not, you know. Whatever." he concluded, grumbling to himself. That man was so intimidating it was just wrong.  
  
"Good. Now that that's settled, it is late, and it will be an early morning for all of us tomorrow," Jack stated, grabbing his bag and entering the bedroom furthest away from the sitting area.  
  
"Wow," Weiss said, eyes opened wide at the performance. Vaughn shook his head, clearing thoughts of Jack Bristow's behaviour out of his head.  
  
"I'm going to go have a shower," he announced, also grabbing his bag. Sydney watched him go, and suddenly the panicked feeling she had earlier in the dock building returned. That irrational fear that if he left her sight, he would be gone forever. And that's crazy, she thought, forcing herself to try to calm down. But it scared her that she couldn't picture herself without Vaughn in her life. That she couldn't figure out what she would do without him there.  
  
Standing quickly, blinking back tears that had formed in her eyes, Sydney excused herself from the room. Once alone, she sat on the bed, and drew several shuddering breaths. Ignoring the tears that had begun to overflow, she began to unstrap the Belly. You need to calm down, Syd, she told herself. You're a spy, and spies can't afford to get this attached to other agents.  
  
* * *  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Vaughn stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it loosely around his waist, then began rummaging through his bag. Retrieving a gray T-shirt and boxers, Vaughn put the articles of clothing on and left the steamy room.  
  
The guys had set up the two couches, and Weiss was currently stretched across one, eyes glued to the TV set. Vaughn realized he must have had an odd expression on his face when Palmer spoke up from his seat on the other pullout bed, saying, "It's Spy Kids he's watching. Don't worry, none of us would like to find out what Jack would have to say about, uh, more questionable material."  
  
Vaughn opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. Frowning, he surveyed the room, trying to decide where he had last seen the phone. While the other agents may have set up the beds, they had made a considerable mess while doing so.  
  
"Mike, would you get that already? We're coming to the part with that weird floor!"  
  
Vaughn stopped in the middle of turning a cushion over and asked incredulously, "Have you WATCHED this before?"  
  
Weiss' face registered a caught expression as he fumbled for words. "Well, my nephew was.. And I - just find your damn phone!"  
  
Vaughn rolled his eyes and resumed his search. After what seemed like forever, he found it on the bed beside Weiss. At the glare he was receiving, Weiss asked defensively, "What?!"  
  
"If looks could kill." Duncan said, laughter in his voice, as Vaughn flipped open the phone.  
  
"Vaughn," he stated, wondering who could possibly be calling him at this number. Usually, it was only reserved for Sydney.  
  
"Joey's Pizza?" 


	5. Voices In My Head I Cannot Hush

"Joey's Pizza?"  
  
Sydney.  
  
Vaughn paused for a moment, mind whirling with the millions of possibilities of what could be wrong, what had made her so upset that she didn't want to leave the room, couldn't just call him in.  
  
"You have the right number," he said softly.  
  
Vaughn thought in retrospect how insane he must have looked in the following moments, slamming the cell phone shut, and bolting to the door that lead to Sydney's bedroom, yanking it open, and slamming it shut behind him. But that didn't matter. All he knew at that moment was that Sydney needed him. And that was all that mattered.  
  
The sight that greeted him as he entered the room caused a wave of sadness to wash over him. To see Sydney, someone who was the representation of strength, looking so shattered. so lost.It was a sight he had seen only too many times, and every time, his heart broke for her. She sat on the bed, looking unbelievably small in her baggy sweatshirt. Her eyes were red, and even in the dim light, Vaughn could see the tears that trailed down her cheeks. In concerned silence, he sat on the bed next to her. The quiet was deafening as he waited for her to speak.  
  
Sydney had thought through over and over what she would say to him in that moment, but when she opened her mouth, the words wouldn't come. Instead, she took another deep breath in an attempt to steady her voice, and tried again.  
  
Quietly, she said, "When I think. about how close I came to losing you that night -,"  
  
She broke off with a small sob, that she was unable to stop. Vaughn reached over and gently squeezed her hand, silently reminding her that he was there, lending her strength. After a moment, Sydney repeated, "When I think about how close I came to losing you, it scares me. Because I know that. I know that if that were to happen . I don't know what I'd do without you. And I know that if I ever had to find that out, there would be no one to blame but myself."  
  
Vaughn sighed and shut his eyes, trying to ignore the lump that had formed in his throat. Once again, he was amazed at how great an effect Sydney managed to have on his emotions. How she could blame herself for this. why she thought that the responsibility of everything rested solely on her, he would never understand. But at least he could try to make her understand that she didn't have to hold the weight of the world alone. He let go of her hand, and took her by the shoulders, forcing her teary eyes towards his.  
  
"Syd, it is not your fault what happened in Taipei. You can't blame yourself for that. I made the choice, and I'm the one that's responsible for my actions," he told her softly. "It's not my job to hug you, to comfort you, be there for you when you need to talk. It's not in my job description that I should worry about you as much as I do, worry that when you walk out of that warehouse, it might be the last time I see you."  
  
After a brief pause, he continued, "But I do. I'm supposed to be impersonal, and detached. Remember that day after Denpasar? When you told me I was acting weird, asked me what was wrong? Weiss had just had a long talk with me about. aspects of our relationship that could get the both of us in trouble," as he stopped for a breath, Vaughn hoped his face wasn't showing his embarrassment as he remembered the details of that particular conversation. "And I tried to pull away. Make it less personal. But I couldn't, and the SECOND that I heard about Will, and knowing how that would affect you, all of that just flew out the window. Sydney, all of that - they were my decisions, my actions . my emotions.. So I don't want you to EVER feel responsible for what could have happened back there - Ever."  
  
Sydney looked at Vaughn with a watery smile. Closing her eyes, she said, "You told me a little while ago that you had been labeled as being "too emotionally attached" to be my handler, to do your job correctly and be objective. Back in Taipei. I wasn't exactly thinking objectively.and I'm beginning to think that I may be a little too emotionally attached too."  
  
* * *  
  
Weiss sighed as he clicked off the TV. Man, those spy kids were something else. Looking around the room, he noticed that Duncan and Palmer had fallen asleep. Moving his gaze to Sydney's bedroom door, he realized it had been closed for quite some time. And his yo-yo was in there for a reason he couldn't remember. Resigning himself to the fact that if he wanted it, he would have to go in and get it, Weiss slowly moved off the couch. He really didn't want to disturb them in the middle of sorting, whatever it was they were sorting, out.  
  
When he reached the door, he knocked softly. As he waited, he thought through his motives and realized that it wasn't really the yo-yo, although he did miss it a bit, he just wanted to make sure Vaughn wasn't doing something that he shouldn't, as that seemed to be happening a lot lately. When no reply came from inside, he slowly turned the knob and peeked in.  
  
They had fallen asleep talking. Vaughn was lying on top of the covers in the middle of the bed, upper body propped up slightly by pillows. One arm was draped over Sydney, holding her close, where she lay tucked against his side, her head resting gently on his chest. Her hand was placed almost possessively over him.  
  
Weiss breathed out slowly as he shut the door with a soft click. His words from weeks prior echoed in his head. "I don't want to trivialize your relationship by calling it a crush." Recalling his friend's indignant response to that, he shook his head as he walked back to the couch and said quietly, "The two of them are so far past crush, I don't think trivializing is a strong enough word for what calling their relationship that would be." 


	6. And Every Day I Swear That I'll Be Stron...

Sydney opened her eyes slowly, reluctant to let the peace slumber had brought disappear. For the first time in a long while, she felt completely secure. She figured it had something to do with Vaughn's arms encircling her. He always had a way of making her feel safe. Carefully, so as not to awaken the man beside her, Sydney raised her head to look at the clock, who's glaring red digits told her it was half past two in the morning.  
  
Knowing she shouldn't, and not completely sure why she was unable to stand the idea of not, she laid her head back down, and snuggled even closer to Vaughn. She felt the arm around her tighten its hold, as in his sleep he slightly shifted positions. Sydney smiled softly as she drifted back to sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Jack Bristow opened his bedroom door and surveyed the scene before him, trying to ascertain what had awoken him. The suit he had worn to bed was rumpled, the dress shirt untucked on one side. Yet even after sleep, he was still an intimidating figure.  
  
Duncan, Palmer, and Weiss were still dead to the world, so it couldn't have been them. He glanced in his daughter's bedroom door, which had been left standing open, saw her bed was still bade, save for a few wrinkles on the top cover. Awfully big wrinkles for one person to make, Jack thought, looking again at Weiss' bed, which should have been shared with Vaughn. I'll have to kill him later.  
  
The him in question was sitting next to Sydney at the kitchen table, which had two plates stacked full of pancakes on it. He slowly took in their chosen attire. Vaughn, obviously still in bed clothes, and Sydney. was wearing the Belly once again, with light blue pajama bottoms, and a large Kings shirt. Jack was fairly sure where THAT had come from.  
  
"What are you two doing?" he snapped, still managing to convey his irritation at having his slumber disturbed even in the loud whisper he had used. Simultaneously, they looked down at the food, then back up at him. Frustrated, he yelled, "I know what you're doing, but why are you doing it?!"  
  
"We called room service," Sydney said, by way of explanation.  
  
"At 6:30 in the morning!" Jack exclaimed.  
  
"Mara and Jake needed food," she said, smirking at Vaughn briefly before looking back at her plate. It was suddenly very hard for Vaughn to keep a straight face.  
  
Part of the information sunk in, as Jack calmed down and said, "At least you had the presence of mind to keep your cov - you NAMED your fake baby."  
  
"BabIES," Vaughn corrected, earning himself a glare. He shrugged, and added, "Well, it was the only explanation as to why she was showing so much but could still fly."  
  
"And you NAMED them."  
  
"We got bored," Vaughn told him.  
  
"We named Jake after you!" Sydney offered, attempting to keep the smile off her face.  
  
Jack stared at her for a moment in disbelief before going back into his bedroom for his bag, entering the bathroom then shutting the door. It was way too early in the morning for that. It was also too early to think about how disturbingly normal the whole scenario had seemed to him.  
  
* * *  
  
"First, you will do 100 sit-ups, then 100 pushups, then 20 minutes of running on the spot," Jack told the small group of agents in front of him. "That will be your warm up."  
  
They stood in the hotel room, which now had even more space in it, since they had moved all of the furniture off to the sides. Obviously, when Jack said training, he hadn't been kidding, Vaughn thought. Everyone knew better than to argue, and they all took their places on the floor. As the onslaught of training started, Sydney called to Vaughn, who was on the other side of the room, "Hey! I'll bet I can finish before you."  
  
Vaughn rolled his eyes as he finished a sit up. Of course she could, but then, who was he to give up without a fight? He replied, a half smile on his face, "So this is a contest now."  
  
"It's not a contest unless the winner gets something," she told him, while counting her sit-ups mentally. She paused as she got an idea. "Okay, if I lose, and you and Weiss can have my bed. If I win, which I will, and you have to get me out of seeing Barnett."  
  
"What if I can't? Not that it will matter, since I'M the one that will be winning."  
  
"What if you stop flirting and let me die in peace?" Weiss interjected, as he continued the task Jack had set him to. The work out was obviously tiring him after the slight blood loss the other day, on account of his neck.  
  
Jack chose to ignore the goings on, attempting to block out the word flirting. Vaughn and Sydney traded a quick look, but kept silent for the remainder of the time. Must've hit a nerve, Weiss thought.  
  
* * *  
  
After finishing the so-called "warm up", Vaughn sat on the couch next to Sydney, smiling despite himself at how happy she looked. She had finished 2 minutes earlier than him, and now seemed to be trying to restrain herself from jumping up and doing a dance over the excitement that the idea of getting out of visits to Barnett created.  
  
He was just about to comment on her state of giddiness when Jack walked into the hotel room. He had left a while ago, apparently having to attend to some business. Coming further into the room, and seeing Weiss still running, he said, "Agent Weiss, if you're tired, stop. Personally, I never expected to you finish this far with that injury."  
  
"Well. there may have been some breaks," Weiss said, stopping his running and collapsing on the floor. "And. some skipping of pushups. and sit ups."  
  
Jack nodded, unable to stop a slight smile from crossing his face. He turned his attention to Sydney, and said, "Would you mind coming with me for a moment."  
  
After leading her off to the side, away from listening ears, he said in an uncharacteristically apprehensive voice, "I . made dinner reservations at a restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel Sydney . I was hoping. that you would join me."  
  
Sydney felt her jaw drop in surprise. "Dad -," she said softly, but he anxiously cut her off, coming as close as Jack Bristow would ever come to babbling.  
  
"I know you won't want to wear your. disguise. the whole time, so I made the reservations far enough away that you would only have to wear it out of the hotel. I. called the CIA and talked to the person who designs your outfits to wear on missions to find out your dress size. and - here."  
  
He walked toward her and placed a bag Sydney hadn't noticed he was carrying down in front of her.  
  
She smiled up at Jack, and told him, "Dad. I don't know what to say. I can't wait."  
  
Jack nodded, mouth set in a straight line, swallowed, and said, "The reservations are for 6:00."  
  
Sydney watched him walk quickly out of the room with a look of amazement on her face, then at the people still running on the spot. Her father was a mystery to her.  
  
  
  
Part 7  
  
Vaughn had been listening to Spy Kids for what seemed like the millionth time when Sydney called to him from her room, where she had been getting ready for dinner with her father. Grateful for an escape from Spy Kid hell, he quickly got up and made his way across the room.  
  
Inside, Sydney, fidgeted with her hands as she nervously waited for Vaughn to enter. For some reason, how she looked to him right then was important to her. When he finally did come in, a strange expression came over his face as he looked at her. After a moment, she grew slightly embarrassed at his stare, and began shifting her weight from foot to foot.  
  
Noticing her discomfort, Vaughn forced himself to stop staring, and moved his gaze to focus on her face. He opened his mouth to say something and found his throat suddenly dry. He said honestly, "You look beautiful."  
  
Sydney felt a huge smile spread across her face, and she beamed at him before looking quickly down at her feet. She hoped he hadn't seen her blush.  
  
The dark, wine red dress she wore fell to just above her knees, clinging in all the right places, and flaring slightly at the bottom. Each cap sleeve had al small bow tied of thin ribbon, and the scoop neck delved low, but not so much that it took away from the classiness of the dress. He hair was down, and curled loosely, framing her face, which had only a bit of eye make up on. The silver heart pendant necklace she wore was the perfect finishing touch. And Vaughn had never seen anything more amazingly gorgeous than Sydney at that moment.  
  
Realizing he was staring again, Vaughn cleared his throat before saying, "Well. We'd better get the rest of your outfit on before your father gets tired of waiting."  
  
Sydney nodded ad gestured for Vaughn to help her strap the Belly on. He picked it up from its resting place and walked over to her. Once she had slipped it over her head with minimal assistance, it was the buckles that were the trouble.  
  
"Turn around," he said. She nodded and turned her back to him, moving her arms slightly away from her body. He stepped closer to her, hoping she didn't notice the effect being so close to her was having on him.  
  
Sydney breathed in sharply as she felt Vaughn's hands run lightly down her sides, smoothing the fabric.  
  
"We don't want to wrinkle your dress," he whispered. She nodded mutely, trying to concentrate on something other than Vaughn's hands, which were still resting on her hips. He shook himself, and made his arms reach around her to grab the lower straps on either side, buckling them together.  
  
As he did the upper straps, he allowed his fingers to brush the nape of her neck. He felt more than heard her breathing quicken slightly, and he said softly, "All done."  
  
Sydney turned around slowly, and found herself only inches away from Vaughn, who had yet to move. Her eyes found his, even as she saw them drift languidly towards her lips.  
  
At that moment, Weiss burst into the room, seemingly ignorant of the tension in the atmosphere. They jumped apart, and Vaughn reached for the long coat Jack had also bought for Sydney, one large enough to fit over the disguise.  
  
"Sydney, Jack's waiting, and he's getting really impatient," Weiss informed her. Sydney nodded, and Vaughn simply gave her the coat instead of helping her on with it. She quickly slipped it on and buttoned it, glancing at Vaughn only once before leaving the room.  
  
"Have a good time," he said, a small smile on his face. Sydney turned and grinned back at him.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
* * *  
  
The restaurant Jack had chosen was an intimate, fairly high class setting. The table they sat at was just off the small dance floor, where a few couples swayed to the accompaniment of a piano. Three candles floated in a china bowl filled with blue tinted water, placed in the center of the table.  
  
Sydney placed her menu down and smiling, said, "I almost don't know what to have, everything sounds so good."  
  
Jack said wryly, "I'm surprised you and Agent Vaughn don't already have a dish picked out from this restaurant. This must be the only one in Europe."  
  
"Dad -," Sydney started, frowning slightly.  
  
He held up a hand and said, "I didn't mean anything by that. It was just a poor attempt to lighten the mood. There's - something I need to talk to you about. And I'm a little. I'm not sure how to say it. As you know, the heart to heart talks aren't exactly my specialty."  
  
The waitress' arrival cut him short, and Sydney looked up at her and said politely, "I'm sorry, would you mind coming back in a little while? I haven't quite made up my mind."  
  
The waitress shot her an irritated look before walking away in a huff. Sydney shook her head at the reaction, and prompted her father, "You were saying."  
  
Jack shifted his eyes around the room, looking anywhere but at his daughter's face, as he began, "I know. that I haven't always been there for you, and that with the. events of the past few days, namely your mother's reappearance, I know you might not always have someone to talk to. I understand that it may be. difficult, considering the circumstances for you to talk with Vaughn about that. And I just want you to know that while I may not outwardly choose to show it, Laura's - Irina's - actions have affected me just as it has you, and to some degree I DO know what you're dealing with right now."  
  
After pausing for a short breath, and regrouping his thoughts, Jack continued, "What I'm trying to say is that this time. I want to be here for you."  
  
Sydney sat in silence for a short moment, emotions flooding her, the most prominent was love for the man sitting in front of her. Her father. She knew her eyes were once again tear filled as she reached for her father's hand, and she had to wait a moment before she was able to say, "Thank you. And dad. this time? I'm here for you, as well."  
  
* * *  
  
"So let me get this straight," Vaughn said. "Floop is now on their side, but he was never really a bad guy. It was mostly his evil assistant."  
  
  
  
"Exactly," Weiss grinned.  
  
They were sitting on the couch, which had been moved back to its original spot in front of the television, waiting for Duncan and Palmer to return with food. Somehow, Vaughn had ended up being coerced in to watching the remainder of Spy Kids with Weiss. While it was actually an okay movie, he was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the other men.  
  
As if on cue, the door opened, and the two agents entered, carrying several bags of groceries.  
  
"We're having spaghetti," Palmer announced, walking into the kitchen and starting to put the food away. Duncan nodded, and flopped on the couch on the other side of Weiss, who was still fully engrossed in the movie. Palmer sighed at his friend and added, "Vaughn, you want to help me?"  
  
In response, Vaughn stood and walked into the kitchen. He pulled a pot out of a bag and filled it with water, as Palmer set aside some beef for the spaghetti sauce. They worked in silence for a while before Palmer asked, "So, what's going on between you and Agent Bristow?"  
  
Vaughn looked up, startled. Why does everyone think. "Nothing!" he said. From the couch, Weiss guffawed loudly. Vaughn directed his attention on him. "What is THAT supposed to mean?"  
  
"It's supposed to mean that that thing you just said there? About "nothing" going on? Yeah, that was a load of bull."  
  
Vaughn frowned, forehead wrinkling. "Why would you - you know perfectly well we aren't -,"  
  
"We aren't blind -," Duncan began.  
  
"Although you and Sydney seem to be," Weiss interrupted.  
  
Duncan glared at him, but continued as if nothing had been said, "We know you aren't "involved". But it's obvious that your feelings for each other go deeper than they should."  
  
"We're friends, yes. But that's it. No feelings go deeper than that," Vaughn stated. At there skeptical look, he repeated, "They don't."  
  
* * *  
  
Jack eyed Sydney as she gazed at the couples on the dance floor. After wrestling with himself for a few minutes, he tentatively asked, "Would you like to dance?"  
  
"Sure," she answered, hoping she kept the surprise out of her voice. Jack rose and strode over to the floor, waiting for her. She couldn't help but smile at how uncomfortable he looked standing there.  
  
She joined him, and as they began dancing he surprised her by saying, "When you were little, you used to dance only if you could be on my feet. you were my little girl."  
  
Sydney took in the information, and impulsively she hugged him. She was rewarded a moment later when his arms tightened around her. Into his shoulder, she whispered, so low he might not have heard, "I never stopped being your girl."  
  
Jack's mind flew unbidden to the man waiting at the hotel, who by now was probably counting the minutes until Sydney returned, and he thought, No Sydney, not just mine. not anymore. 


	7. The Kind Of Rush That Terrifies

The rest of the evening seemed to fly by, and all too soon, it was over. Sydney couldn't help but worry that the level of semi-comfort she and her father had gained over the last couple hours would disappear as soon as they returned to the hotel. She shivered slightly in the cool London night, wrapping her coat more tightly around her. She had been waiting outside for Jack to finish paying for about five minutes, and was beginning to get bored.  
  
Deciding to occupy herself, Sydney began studying the people that passed her on the sidewalk. A young couple immediately caught her eye. They were strolling arm in arm, laughing at some private joke. They seemed surrounded by a magical bubble, one that completely separated them from the rest of the world.  
  
I wish I could have that, she thought. In an attempt to block out the face that immediately came to mind in reaction to that thought, she abruptly switched her attention from the couple to a cab, which had stopped across the street. That was when her world stopped turning.  
  
* * *  
  
Vaughn sighed as he received more jabs about his relationship with Sydney. For CIA agents, they seemed to be getting too much enjoyment out of torturing him about something that was directly against any protocol they could possibly dream up. Looking each of them in the eye, he started, "For the last time. There is nothing -,"  
  
He trailed off as his eyes moved toward the doorway. Sydney stood there, face pale and drawn. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and still shone with unshed tears. Before he could think about it, Vaughn was moving toward her, enveloping her into a hug. He knew what the others must have been thinking, but at that point, their opinions were irrelevant to him. All that mattered was the seemingly broken woman in his arms.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked gently, mentally preparing himself for whatever she was about to tell him. But her words surprised him more than he could have imagined they would, and he gripped her even closer to him.  
  
"Mom. She's here."  
  
* * *  
  
Jack walked briskly down the hotel corridor, ignoring the scandalized looks he received as he brushed by those in his way. He reached the door to penthouse 1, and was only mildly surprised to see a sliver of pale light from underneath.  
  
After sending Sydney home in a cab, he had spent the last three hours tailing Irina Derevko. As much as he would have liked his daughter's company, his concern for her outweighed how much of an asset she might be.  
  
He swiped his key card. Quickly and opened the door. The television cast a blue glow over the otherwise dark room. Weiss, Palmer and Duncan were asleep in various positions on the pullout couches. Judging by the TV remote still clutched in Weiss' hand, they had fallen asleep watching television. Moving his attention to the kitchen area, he saw Sydney and Vaughn at the table, playing what appeared to be a game of poker. Neither had noticed Jack's presence yet.  
  
"You're bluffing," Vaughn was saying, as he eyed her carefully. He had gone down to the hotel gift shop looking for something to distract Sydney until her father returned, knowing that she would want to wait up for him. They had been playing cards ever since.  
  
She almost smiled at his reaction. Almost. Despite his efforts to distract her, which were greatly appreciated, the knowledge that her mother was somewhere out there, possibly in the same hotel as her, was constantly nagging at the back of her mind. Attempting to push her worries aside until her father returned, she said indignantly, "No, I am not!"  
  
Vaughn quirked an eyebrow at her, knowing quite well that she was. While they were both trained in the art of deception, it was apparent that their training didn't extend to each other. Although he had already had some notion of this development, the fact that it applied to even the small things was something that made him really think about the accusations from earlier. Perhaps Weiss and the rest hadn't been too far off.  
  
Jack cleared his throat, and the pair looked up quickly, instantly back in CIA agent mode.  
  
"What did you find out?" Sydney demanded. Her mother was here, and there was no way that Sydney could just do nothing. That woman had caused her life to be turned completely upside down so many times . caused Vaughn's life to be turned upside down.. And all the other families of those CIA agents. Anything that she could possibly do to keep more people from getting hurt had to be done.  
  
Through the myriad of emotions that flashed across her face, Jack saw for the first time how incredibly worn out his daughter was. Defeated. A twinge of regret struck him. That Sydney had to live this life, that she couldn't have escaped it. He felt it too, sometimes. The exhaustion that came from knowing that the end was nowhere near in sight. If he had one wish, it would be that Sydney had never had to know that feeling.  
  
"I'll tell you in the morning. You should get some sleep."  
  
Sydney looked at the clock, and realized for the first time how late it was. The numbers suggestively flashing 2:30 made her yawn. Nodding in resignation, she stood and muttered a quiet goodnight, before leaving the room.  
  
A moment of silence passed before Vaughn said quietly, "You're planning something, aren't you."  
  
It was more of a statement than a question. Jack stared at the younger agent steadily, before answering, "Am I to assume that we can count on your assistance?"  
  
"The CIA will never agree to any course of action."  
  
"I realize this."  
  
Vaughn nodded. "What do you need me to do?" 


	8. I Close My Eyes And It's So Real

"Derevko is staying on the 57th floor at the Hilton. Her room has a window on the west side of the building. We will place two cameras outside this window. They will be able to get audio from inside the room, as well as a video feed, while remaining undetected," Jack informed the group, concluding his briefing on the events of the previous night. "We just want to find out what she's up to."  
  
"Where exactly are we going to get these cameras?" Palmer asked. "We didn't bring any equipment like that."  
  
"There is an SD-6 warehouse 2 miles out of the city. They security may be high, but I am confident that we can get around that possibility."  
  
Duncan looked at Weiss, then back to Jack, before saying, "The CIA hasn't given clearance for this, have they?"  
  
Jack stared hard at him. These CIA agents really irritated him, with their glorified sense that they were fulfilling their patriotic duty. What good were they if they had no backbone?  
  
"Is that relevant?" he asked, raising his eyebrows, daring him to reply.  
  
"I don't think any one of us is going to take part in this scheme of yours, if my suspicions are true. Our loyalties lie solely within the agency. We have no interest in becoming rogue agents like yourself!" Duncan told him loudly. "So tell me, do you consider that relevant?"  
  
Weiss' attention turned from Jack (Damn, the man was mad now!) to Vaughn, who had thus far sat silently next to him. And he knew. Vaughn was going.  
  
"Vaughn," he said, for once all levity removed from his voice, taken over by a pleading quality. "You're running out of last chances, here. The last time you almost died - twice!! You can't do this again."  
  
"You're supporting this?!" exclaimed Duncan, now standing. He turned an accusing gaze on Vaughn. "As Agent' Bristow's handler, it is your responsibility to keep her under control! As her CIA contact, you represent the CIA, and their interests. You have no business taking part in this."  
  
"As Agent Bristow's handler, it is my responsibility to keep her safe. If by taking part in this mission, I can do that, then I'm left with no choice," Vaughn said, in a voice, which clearly marked the end of that particular line of discussion. Sydney shifted uncomfortably in her seat, a little bothered that she had been dragged into that.  
  
Weiss' words had also affected her. He had been absolutely right. Helping her had almost cost Vaughn his life once. How could she ask him to help her again?  
  
"Vaughn," she started, but he cut her off.  
  
"Sydney. I can't let you do this alone. When I told you I was in if you needed me. That didn't just apply to then. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind."  
  
Sydney bit her lip to keep herself from arguing with him. There was no point. He could be almost as stubborn as her. "Okay then," she said. To Jack and Vaughn, she commented," I think we have some planning to do."  
  
"And in that case," Palmer said, rising from his spot on the floor. "We'll be heading downstairs to the bar. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to get so drunk we won't remember ever having this conversation."  
  
Weiss followed him out, winking at the people who still remained in the room. Duncan looked at Jack, eyes begging him not to go ahead, to just back down. Jack stared icily back, until Duncan lowered his eyes, sighed in defeat, and went after the other two agents.  
  
The door shut with a resounding click behind him. From their seats on opposite ends of the couch, Vaughn and Sydney watched Jack where he stood in front of the television. The older man unclenched his jaw, and said, "We have a lot of work to do. We move tonight."  
  
* * *  
  
A branch snapped underneath Sydney's foot, breaking the silence of the night. She winced and jerked her head up, so she could view the large, abandoned factory before her. Well, not quite abandoned.  
  
The area was isolated, only a long dirt road led up to the building. It was surrounded by grass, just long enough to use for cover if one was crawling on the ground, and even then, a sniper on the roof could easily spot an intruder.  
  
Vaughn glanced at Sydney from his place beside her, at the edge of the tree line. Their last safety net before embarking across the sinister meadow. She looked at him and shrugged.  
  
The plan was to use the cover of darkness, hoping their black clothes would allow them to reach the building undetected. It was a long shot, and both knew it.  
  
Almost out of nowhere, a beam of light swept by them, causing both to drop to the ground. Sydney went rigid as she realized how close they were, faces only inches away.. Okay, Sydney, now is not the time..  
  
"What's happened?" demanded Jack, voice filtering through the comm. Link.  
  
"Watch lights," Sydney responded, watching as the strobe passed over them again.  
  
"50 seconds, "Vaughn announced, looking up from his watch, forehead wrinkled. Sydney raised her eyebrows at him. "We'll have to run."  
  
"What if we zig-zag? Would that buy us time?" she asked. Vaughn shook his head.  
  
"No, it would take longer. Shortest distance is from here straight to the warehouse. We'll be ore at risk of being caught in the light if we don't follow as straight path."  
  
Sydney breathed out slowly. 50 seconds wasn't a lot of time, and the distance was considerable. Normally, a challenge like this wouldn't bother her. But there was a lot riding on this. If they were caught, she could be reported back to Sloane. Her whole cover could be blown. "Okay. Dad, we're going radio silent until we reach the building."  
  
"We go in three, two, one. now!" Vaughn said. They jumped up as the beam passed them, and began their insane sprint across the field.  
  
.45.  
  
Sydney heard her feet pounding on the ground, and just behind her, Vaughn, matching her rhythm.  
  
.30.  
  
The building only seemed to get farther away, and she was acutely aware of the danger if they didn't make it before the time was up.  
  
.20.  
  
Her breath caught in her throat as she briefly stumbled, foot catching on a tree root. God knows what THAT was doing in the middle of a field. She felt Vaughn come up behind her, putting a steadying hand no her shoulder.  
  
.9..  
  
They ran the rest together, and Sydney was vaguely aware of white light coming up beside her.  
  
.3..  
  
The building was only a short distance away.  
  
.1..  
  
They reached the building just as the light passed over where they had been, only seconds before. Sydney and Vaughn both leaned against the hard wall.  
  
Vaughn reached up and before switching on his comm. Link grinned, and said, "I can't believe we're going to have to do that again."  
  
Sydney smiled back and looked at the ground, listening as he informed her father that they'd reached the building. 


	9. And Every Day's Another Wrong to Rectify

Upon entering the building it became apparent that all security was focused on keeping people from getting in - which answered any doubts as to why the window they had come through was so small. Once they were there, the rest of the mission was fairly straightforward.  
  
"Okay. You're looking for a box labeled 4128973," Jack said.  
  
"You go that way, I'll go this way," Sydney told Vaughn, pointing to the left. He stared at the stacks of boxes in front of him. There were row upon row of them - and only an hour to find the device they were looking for.  
  
He began wandering down the narrow aisles, glancing at the numbered boxes one by one. What seemed like a lifetime later, but could only have been half an hour, he found what he was looking for.  
  
"Syd!" he called, voice echoing in the large building. "I've got it!"  
  
Her reply was eerily distorted as the sound bounced off the walls. He could hear her footsteps though, amplified by the sheer silence in the room.  
  
"Where are you?" she called.  
  
Vaughn blinked, looked around him, and put his hands out in front of him in a How on earth does she expect me to answer that? Motion. "I'm over here!"  
  
"Helpful, Vaughn," she muttered. "Where's here?"  
  
"How should I know?" he asked, in frustration. "Where are you?"  
  
The long silent headset crackled to life and Jack's voice filled their ears.  
  
"Would you both just meet where you came in?"  
  
Vaughn rolled his eyes, and grabbed the box, heading toward the window.  
  
Sydney quickly rerouted and began heading back the way she had come. Meet where you came in, she thought. Duh Syd.  
  
* * *  
  
The run across the field was no more fun than it had been the first time. AS they slowed, reaching the shelter of the forest, Sydney said, "We might have to talk to Sloane about stepping up security. That was fairly disappointing."  
  
"If we're going to be making a habit of this, I'd prefer you didn't," Vaughn replied. "Besides, the CIA operatives in London might be able to have some fun now."  
  
"I'm assuming the CIA will be getting the cameras after we're finished?"  
  
"But of course," Vaughn said in a poor British accent. Sydney giggled a bit at that, suddenly reverting back to a schoolgirl who blushed every time the guy she liked flirted with her. Not that I like Vaughn, she thought quickly. Well, I mean, I like him, but I don't LIKE like him. do I? Okay, must stop thinking now. Concentrate on Vaughn.. No Syd, what Vaughn's SAYING.  
  
"Several small fast paced steps for us," he continued, as they reached the van where Jack was parked. He put a hand on the door handle before finishing. "One large step toward bringing down SD-6. We now have a piece of equipment they will never get a chance to use."  
  
She knew he was trying to bring an optimistic view to all that was going and truthfully, it did help. Sydney never got a chance to reply, as Vaughn slid the door open the second he stopped speaking. Jack turned around in his seat, and motioned for her to get in. Under his breath, she heard him mutter sarcastically, "over here."  
  
* * *  
  
The wind on the roof whipped the cord Vaughn was uncoiling wildly, and increased his anxiety about the next phase of the plan. The harness he had on felt too tight, almost as if it was suffocating him. He had a bad feeling about this.  
  
Nearer to the edge of the Hilton's roof, Sydney finished clipping all the necessary attachments onto her harness. Jack stood off to the side, anchoring the mechanisms that would lower them to Irina's window in place.  
  
"Now," he said, moving closer to be heard over the wind. "You will drop until you reach her window. Once there, you will place the cameras in both top corners. Do you understand?"  
  
They nodded, and Vaughn prepared himself for the jump.  
  
"One," Sydney called, checking her equipment one last time.  
  
"Two," Vaughn continued, glancing at her.  
  
"Three."  
  
Together, they jumped, the feeling of free falling lasting on y a moment before the ropes jerked them harshly back into the reality of the situation. Ever so slowly, Vaughn felt himself being lowered to the window. Beside him, Sydney was dropping as well.  
  
"So," he said. "I hear our hotel makes some pretty good pizza."  
  
"Yeah," Sydney grinned, glancing back up at the roof as she spoke. "Since we're staying there, we could actually order some."  
  
Vaughn couldn't help the half smile that took over his features, momentarily forgetting his worries about the mission. When they reached the window, he took out the camera from the pouch around his neck and was about to begin securing it to the window when something made him stop.  
  
"Syd, don't move."  
  
She looked questioningly at him before gazing through the window. Irina was talking on the phone, her face turned slightly towards the window. Sydney drew in a calming breath. "Dad, she's in there. We need a distraction."  
  
After a long moment, his reply came.  
  
"I'll have to leave the roof."  
  
Sydney looked at Vaughn for his affirmation before saying, "That's okay. We'll be fine."  
  
"Okay, hang tight."  
  
After the link went silent, Sydney asked slowly, "Did he just-"  
  
"Make a joke? I think so."  
  
Suddenly, the wind began to pick up, and the ropes holding them began jerking violently. Vaughn felt an especially hard jerk on the cord, and felt himself drop a few inches.  
  
"Vaughn," Sydney started, and he knew she had seen it.  
  
He opened his mouth to assure her that it was going to be okay when a metallic noise filled the air. He didn't have time to process what was going on as he felt himself swinging uncontrollably downward through the air. 


End file.
